Behind the scenes of constitutional revival
The third tenure of the Pakistan Peoples Party government has earned all the negative epithets it could earn for its performance. It will, however, be remembered for its historic achievement in bringing the 18th Amendment to the constitution and giving Pakistan a federal structure.
Raza Rabbani happens to be the mother and midwife of the amendment. His book, A Biography of Pakistani Federalism, is the story of this transition.
Strong centre
During the hampered growth of democracy, federalism too remained a victim as the centre, under dictators, was not ready to shed its powers.
Decentralisation was anathema to the ears of the establishment which used the cover of ideology, strong centre and the threat of fissiparous forces to keep the provinces under its heel. Even the breaking away of the majority wing, former East Pakistan, could not awaken it to the dangers of a strong centre.
Military dictators defaced constitutions for their own benefits, “leading to an excessive centrist, quasi-presidential form of government”, the author says in the preface.
After the liberalisation of the media, however, the winds of change could not be stopped.
Rabbani traces the history of this movement in his book, which provides a thorough understanding of the concept of federalism, and a brief history of constitutional evolution.
Amendments
The book also elaborates the drafting of the 18th and 19th amendments which, the author believes, will ensure delegation of powers to their real custodians.
“I don’t believe in ‘thin democracy’ that rules out the citizens’ collective role to address their problems. On the contrary, I endorse the philosophy of the economic vote. I believe that people elect their representatives based upon economic performance,” the author says.
Being chairman of the parliamentary committee on constitutional reforms, Rabbani gives an authentic account of activities held for the drafting and passage of the 18th and 19th amendments.
“We must abandon the philosophy that a strong centre is the guarantee of a robust Pakistan and realise that only by strengthening the provinces will we ensure a stable federation,” the authors says.
The Biography of Pakistani Federalism is a valuable book on the revival of the Constitution and must be included in the curriculum at graduation and masters levels.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 1st, 2012.
COMMENTS (4)
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People will remember this PPP tenure (God-willing the last) for what it truly is: Zardari and his corruption!
Provincial autonomy is must for the country and it's people.Sooner the better.It has to be a real autonomy where provinces have freedom to frame the policies to suit the local conditions.Mere transferring certain ministries to provinces and withholding the finance will be similar to political parties demanding general elections but never had any election within the parties.I do not know how many people in Pakistan particularly the politicians have ever read the constitution of the country.Make as many amendments as you want to score points,the real test is in implementations in true spirit. Amendments do not feed people.
Well, there's a spin if there could be one. Passing amendments just to get the responsibility off your own plate while not allowing the provinces their own share in revenue collection/disbursements is an exercise in futility. The ministers are claiming on TV that we passed 3 amendments in four years and will attempt to pass 5 in 5 years!! That would be unprescented won't it? just like the 5th address from Zardari to the parliament! What a measuring criteria?
The bottomline is that not much was being done in the devolved ministeries before the amendment and not much will be done after other than inhouse fighting because it's passing the buck from one to another without passing the money too...
And there's another achievement while we are at it. At least the govt paid 14% advance payments to RPPs, not 34 percent! and Today there's ten hours of electricity loadscheding, not 20! So it's a better case, isn't it?
Anything that delivers is good be dictatorship/socialism/communism/democracy or whatever and anything that cant deliver is useless even if its some Sacred Infrastructure.
People want food job security and progress whoever can offer thats why people are happy with communism in CHINA, CAPATALISM in USA and democracy in Turkey